The Lost Ones - HIATUS
by Fae 206
Summary: When Kyoko gets ready to celebrate her third wedding anniversary to Kuon, her heart is broken when Kuon gets hit by a car. Wanting to do the best for her husband, the two are surprised when Rick turns up alive with a plan to change Kuon into the person he once was. Will Kyoko be able to keep the good in Kuon or will Rick steal all he holds dear? Flashbacks to 15yrold Kuon
1. Chapter 1 - Risk

**AN:** I know that I have so many Skip Beat fics already but I wanted to write this one to show a different side of events. There is more damage done to Kuon than this chapter suggests.

 **The Lost Ones**

 **Chapter One - Risk**

Kyoko Hizuri rolled over in the bed in the early morning and gazed at the blond who lay opposite her. He always looked completely adorable when he was asleep. She reached out for him and buried her head into his chest, taking in the smell of him. She listened to his heart beat and smiled. They were nearing their third wedding anniversary and Kyoko was determined to make it better than the last.

She hummed as she stroked his hair back. He looked even more gorgeous as a blond and she loved those emerald eyes of his. She heard him softly hum as she woke up and she gazed into his green eyes as he looked up at her. "Hi, Corn," she laughed as she pressed her lips to his forehead.

"Hey, good morning," he said as he grinned at her.

Kyoko hadn't been happier than when she had married him, well that was a lie, every day seemed to get brighter when he was with her. She grinned as she let her hand rest on his cheek. She couldn't believe that she was twenty-five and she had her perfect husband who had recently turned twenty-nine himself. Kyoko had grown her hair out and it was a strawberry blond, in fact, she looked similar to the way that Kijima had dressed her up but her thoughts were never on Kijima.

She had fallen in love with Ren and though she had been angry when he told her he was actually Corn, she had forgiven him. Eventually they had gotten engaged and then married when she was twenty-two. He had waited for her. For every step of their relationship, he had waited for her to be ready. It was worth the wait.

They were both models as well as being called Japan's greatest actors of their generation. He had decided to stay in Japan despite the fact that his dream had once been to return to America. Kuon had also done some screen writing and directing to expand on his resume. He was perfect.

"You don't have work this morning, right?" she asked him and he shook his head with a soft laugh. "How about we go out to that café," she asked as she let her hand spread over his abs. Kyoko adored the mornings that they could spend together. He was so kind and giving and Kuu had commented that this was how he had been before Rick had entered his life. Rick was such an important person to him though, she didn't want to hear that he hadn't been a positive influence to Kuon.

"Are you sure that _you_ have time," he asked her as he turned her over so that she was looking up at him. She playfully kissed his lips. "Are you sure that you don't want to…do something else?" he asked as he started to slip off his shirt. Kyoko nodded and she felt Kuon take control of the situation before pleasuring her. She felt a burning passion for him. Only he was able to touch her in this way.

Nothing else mattered as long as she was with him.

He was her fantasy prince and somehow, through a crazy series of events, they had ended up together. She couldn't have been happier.

…

…

Kyoko squeezed Kuon's hand as they walked down the street. The café that they both loved was close by and it was always fun to walk together. Sometimes the paparazzi would jump out at them but as long as they were together it was manageable, in fact when Kuon pointed out a bird or other animal or there was some new type of plant, he would point it out to her. It was wonderful to hear his other hobbies and he would often listen to hers.

"I know you want to get a dog," Kyoko whispered as she let her head rest upon his arm and he nodded. She was a little hesitant and he respected that. It wasn't that either of them had much time to take care of a dog, even spending time together was rare.

"I would but I think the dog would be better off with another family," he said before his eyes caught hold of something. There was a couple of teenage girls not paying attention to the traffic and where they were walking. She saw Kuon tense and pressed her forehead into his arm.

"Sometimes people are such idiots," she told him. She tried to move forwards but he had stopped and he looked quickly at his wrist. He didn't wear the watch anymore but she knew that that was why he was looking down. The memories of Rick were in his mind and Kyoko wished that Kuon hadn't seen them.

"Corn," she whispered as she saw the girls showing each other something on their phone. "it's okay. They're going to be okay, let's just go," she said though she saw the pain in Kuon's eyes as he watched them. She wanted to hold him back but as one girl seemed to lag behind her friend, she felt him pull away from her.

It was like watching a horror movie. She could see him push the girl out of danger but then the car struck him in the back and threw him back. He shouldn't be there. If they had only left a little earlier or later, he wouldn't have been there. Kyoko screamed as the traffic slowed to a halt and she saw the limp body on the ground and that the girl was shaking. They were both in shock but Kyoko didn't give a damn about them. He shouldn't have been there.

"Kuon," she whispered as she saw the blood from his head. She pulled off the cardigan that she was wearing and placed it under where he had hurt himself. He was always quick to move, always aware of his surroundings. Why now? She heard someone calling for an ambulance to come immediately and she struggled to keep her composure. "Sweetheart," she whispered as the tears fell from her cheeks. "It's okay, it's going to be okay," she told him though she wasn't sure if that was true or not.

"I love you," Kuon struggled to speak and as much as Kyoko was glad that he was regaining consciousness, his voice was weak and his heart growing even weaker. "Remember that for me?" he asked, "You're not alone anymore," he told her and Kyoko nodded as she tried to stop the tears from her cheeks.

"You'll be okay, sweetheart," she whispered as she pulled him closer to her. "Save your energy, okay? I won't have to remember because you'll be there beside me. You'll be able to remind me yourself. I love you too, okay? You don't even know how much."

She felt him getting weaker and found that cold chill through her body. His blood was too much, she had to stop it, get it back into his body. If she died it was okay because she wanted him to live. She needed for him to live. "Please don't leave me," she whispered unable to stop the tears flowing through her. "Please, Kuon, you're the strongest person I've ever met. Fight for me, Corn. Please," she begged and she heard the ambulance in the distance.

He would be saved, wouldn't he? He wasn't dead, he wasn't going to die. They would grow old together and then die at the same time in the same bed. She felt terrible before yelling at the girls despite knowing that she shouldn't. "You're a murderer," she said as she kept cradling her husband's head not realizing that she was acting exactly like Tina had. "You're a murderer, if you hadn't been here he wouldn't be dying!"

"I'm sorry," Kuon whispered and Kyoko shook her head.

"Corn, you're going to be okay," she tried to promise him though she saw the fear in the medics eyes. He was as doubtful about the situation as she was. She just wanted for him to be okay, she wanted him to survive at least. She saw the medics put him in the ambulance and they made sure to stop the bleeding. It was okay, wasn't it?

…

…

Kyoko sat nervously in the hospital, they had taken Kuon to the emergency room and told her that he needed to be alone for them to treat him properly. Kyoko already felt like she knew what they were going to tell her and she hated how she wasn't with him when he died. She couldn't stop the tears that were running down her face. The news had gotten out that he was in critical condition, he was Kuon Hizuri after all.

She sobbed as the pain in her chest deepened. They were going to enjoy the morning that they were having together, they were going to get coffee and she was going to get a pastry and try to get him to eat something. The day shouldn't start out like this. She had already talked to the director that she was working for who told her that he understood and she should take her time.

Soon she was going to have to make the decisions and plans for his funeral and whether to bury or cremate him. She wasn't ready to make that choice. She just wanted his arms around her. She heard footsteps and looked up to see one of her two best friends but she didn't give her the warm greeting that she usually did. "Moko," she whispered as Kanae actually hugged her. Kyoko broke down again, "Thank you for coming," she sobbed and Kanae nodded to her.

"I know how important he is to you," Kanae told her and Kyoko nodded as she stared at the ground. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Never," Kyoko said sadly, "I'm never going to be okay again," she said before a doctor approached her. Kyoko gulped. She wasn't ready to hear what he was going to say. She hadn't prepared herself though she knew the words that were going to come out of his mouth. She bit her top lip and wrapped an arm around herself. "Kuon, he's gone, isn't he?" she sobbed and the doctor looked at her.

"Kuon is alive," he told her and Kyoko looked at him as if he had made a rash and insane judgment. "If he had lost any more blood, he would have died," he informed her and Kyoko stared at him. It was as if she didn't understand the words. How could he have pulled through? His heart had become so weak as she was holding him.

"You're sure that it's Kuon Hizuri?" she asked nervously. "Are you sure that he's alive?" she whispered and the doctor nodded. Kyoko started to cry again. This was a miracle. She had prepared herself to hear that he had passed on and now she was shocked to hear the opposite. "Can I see him?" she asked and the doctor turned to Kanae.

"Only family can see him," he said and Kyoko raised an eyebrow.

"I'm his _wife,_ " she stressed thinking that doctor was addressing her. "That means that I should be allowed to sit with him. I'll do anything that you ask but I want to see him. I need to see that he's okay."

The doctor nodded and led her down the hallway. When they got to the room, she took in all the bandages and stared at his chest. She had heard that they had had to do surgery on him and that he had had a blood transfusion but she had wanted to be with him. She nervously touched his shoulder, feeling the fabric on the gown.

"Corn," she whispered as she kissed his cheek. "Thank you. Thank you for fighting for me, for us."

…..

…..

For twelve long hours, Kyoko had watched her husband's body wanting for him to wake up. The doctors had told her that the longer he stayed unconscious, the more traumatic the brain injury would be. She didn't care. He was her Corn, her Kuon, her loving husband. She would take care of whatever he needed. She was about to fall asleep when she heard movement from the bed.

"Kuon?" she asked as he struggled to get his eyes open. "Sweetheart," she said as she tried to make sure that he was okay. "I'm here," she told him as she felt her heart start to pound. Her eyes were hopeful. "Oh, Corn," she whispered. "I'm here. I'm with you. It's okay, don't push yourself," she told him.

"Kyo-kko," he struggled to say and she nodded, sobbing in relief. "Where am - am I?" he asked as he looked around and Kyoko massaged his shoulder.

"The hospital. You don't remember the accident?" she asked and he shook his head. "What's the last thing that you remember?" she asked him and he looked at her for a while before replying.

"Weren—'t we go-going to the café?" he asked her and Kyoko hugged him close. He was okay. He was doing okay. She sobbed again in relief.

"Yes, yes we were heading to the café," she told him and Kuon nodded to her as well. He tried to sit up before holding her hand.

"I can't…I can't feel my legs," he said and her eyes widened. Of course there had to be _some_ damage done to him. She kissed his cheek, her eyes sad with the fear that he may have to use a wheelchair for the rest of his life. There were models and actors in wheelchairs though, it wasn't the end of his career.

Kyoko sat with him and then they heard a knock on the doorframe. Kyoko looked up to see a black haired man that she didn't know. He didn't look Japanese. Maybe he was a doctor who had moved to Japan because he was sick of whatever Western country he was from but as she looked at Kuon, she saw his eyes wide and his body had turned pale.

"Ri—Rick?" he asked and Kyoko took the man in. He had black hair tied back in a ponytail and a scruffy beard. He was wearing dark clothes and a trench coat. He looked to be in his early thirties. Wouldn't Rick be in his early thirties. Rick was dead though, this couldn't be him. "You're al-alive?" he asked and Kyoko looked at him.

How was this man alive and in Kuon's hospital room? She grabbed her husband's hand, bringing it to her lips. Kuon seemed determined that this was his dead friend standing in the doorway of his hospital room. Kyoko had no idea how this had happened but she felt angry. This man had lied to Kuon for so long but without him, she would have never found her husband again.

"Hello," she said before bowing deeply, "I'm Hizuri Kyoko. Kuon's wife," she said and Rick walked forwards, kissing Kyoko's cheek.

"You'll be the first thing that I take away from him," he whispered in Kyoko's ear and she took a step back. She shook her head quickly, glaring at him.

"Never," she told him before looking back at Kuon. She didn't want to take away his happiness that his friend was actually alive. She wasn't going to let anybody destroy their marriage, especially a man who had hurt Kuon so much.

Why was he even back here? What kind of plan did he have?

 **End of Chapter One**

 **Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**


	2. Chapter 2 - Violent Relationship

**AN:** Hope you enjoy this 😊

 **Chapter Two – Violent Relationship**

Kyoko watched as Rick approached Kuon and she saw the joy in his expression. He looked like a child again who had just found out that Santa was in fact real. She didn't want to repeat the words that he had just said and cause Kuon to lose hope. She walked over to him and squeezed his shoulder. "I'm going to go tell the doctor that you've woken up," she said and Kuon nodded.

"I love you," he told her and Kyoko leaned down so she could kiss him passionately. She pulled back with a smile as she gazed upon the man who was her everything.

"I love you too," she said and then passed Rick, eyeing him cautiously. It would only take a few moments to find a doctor, nothing would happen in that short of a time period, would it?

Rick turned to Kuon and sighed. "I can't believe it," he said and Kuon blinked confused, wasn't that _his_ line? "I mean, that we can be in the same room as one another again and this time we're in Japan. I mean, that type of thing doesn't really happen."

"No," Kuon said slowly, "Usually when there is a funeral, the person who died doesn't come back to life," he looked down and Rick laughed making Kuon feel a little bit more uneasy.

"But didn't your parents ever tell you what happened. The hospital was said to have misplaced the body and instead I just left. I mean, it still hurt like hell was happened to me but that was your doing, right?" he winked and Kuon's eyes widened as he stared at him horrified. He had only just come to the place where he could forgive himself for the actions leading up to Rick's death, to be told by Rick himself that it was his fault seemed to undo all of that work.

"I didn't plan for that to happen, I would never do that," he tried to argue and Rick shrugged.

"It's in the past. I mean, you can try to make it up to me if you want to or we can just move on and act as if you didn't betray me," he said and Kuon looked back at him desperately. He shook his head quickly.

"I didn't," he struggled. "I mean, if I did, I didn't mean to…I would never want to…" he said and Rick shrugged.

"The past is the past," he repeated and Kuon tried to look at him, feeling selfish about his concern over not being able to move his legs since the accident.

"No. I…I'll do anything to prove that I didn't want that to happen. If you could just tell me what I can do to make it up to you, to apologize," he said and Rick looked at him.

"You can listen to me, that woman…I've done my research on her, she's using you to further her own career," he said and Kuon stared at him as if he were crazy.

"Kyoko? You don't even know her," he said and Rick shrugged not replying to that. "You don't. Kyoko's not capable of that. Kyoko has a pure heart and she had been angry and vengeful at times but please don't talk about her like that. If you had a conversation with her, got to know her."

"You think that a woman like that would just be satisfied with someone like you. She's gorgeous. What did you do, lock her up in your basement until she agreed to a date?" he asked using a smile that was extremely charismatic and that and the feelings of nostalgia where making Kuon feel even more uneasy. "We both know you're too violent for a woman like that to be around you."

"I've never hurt her," Kuon argued, "I would never hurt her."

"But I bet you've lost your temper because of her," Rick asked him and Kuon bowed his head as he thought about when Kyoko had first seen the person that he kept buried inside of him. It had been during their time as the Heel siblings and not just once but on multiple occasions it was as if he had blacked out and lost control. He kept thinking about how he had snapped and he didn't see the world in a way that he considered normal. Even though she had married him after that, maybe he _had_ manipulated her in some way.

"Why are you here?" Kuon asked as he tried to think though his head was killing him. He felt a zing through his head and flinched as he tried to battle off a headache. He took deep and painful breaths before feeling someone holding him.

"Sweetheart," Kyoko whispered as she hugged him and the doctor came closer to examine him. "Corn, what is it my love? What happened? What's wrong?" Kyoko glared at Rick who put his hands up and took a few steps backwards as if trying to clear himself of any blame. Kyoko watched him before focusing more on Kuon.

"Headache," he said and Kyoko rubbed his arm, helping him back down into the bed.

"Are there some pain killers that he can take?" she asked the doctor who nodded. "Corn," she said as she turned her attention to her husband. "The doctor is going to give you something for the pain. So, right now I just need you to know that I'm here and that you are the single most amazing man that I have ever known."

"Better than Tsuruga Ren?" he asked her and Kyoko kissed the back of his hand as she lifted it to his lips.

"Yes," she nodded with a loving smile. "Yes, you're better than Ren. I love you, Kuon."

"He loves you so much that he puts you in danger," Rick chuckled and the medical staff turned to look at him. Kyoko's mouth dropped open. She looked at her husband and placed a hand on his cheek. "You know that's not true, don't you, Corn?" she asked as she saw the pain as he looked at her.

"It is true, I put you in danger," he told her and Kyoko looked at the doctors who were gazing at her with concern.

"It's not true, he's delirious. Listen, it's not true. I'm never in any danger when I'm with him," she protested before glaring at Rick.

"I need for you to leave," Kuon told her and Kyoko looked back at him, heartbroken by what he had just said. She looked at him before kissing him again.

"I'll be back soon if that's really what you want," she said as she stroked his cheek, "but Corn, I really don't want to go. I don't want to leave you. If that's what you want most though, I will."

"That's what he wa-" Rick started but Kyoko shook her head at him. She turned to Kuon and kissed his forehead.

"That's what I want," he told her and she could see the guilt and insecurity in his expression. Kyoko knew him better than anyone else and she hated that it felt like Rick was getting what he wanted.

Kyoko looked at him sadly before putting a hand on his shoulder. "I love you and I want to be here but I'll respect your decision," she whispered. "If you do change your mind, and I hope you do, I'll be back here as soon as I humanly can," she said before making sure his pillow was fluffed and tucked him in before kissing him again.

As the doctors finished checking his vital signs and his body, they left with Rick still in the room.

"You know, a woman like that doesn't love you," Rick told her and Kuon blinked in surprise. "If she loves you so much, wouldn't she fight to stay here. It looks like she was relieved to be getting out of here and back to her boyfriend."

Kuon laughed at this, "That is impossible that Kyoko is cheating on me," he argued and Rick hummed. "No, it really is impossible, she's not like that and I asked her to leave, she just wants to do what's best for me."

"What's best for you is for her to stay and fight to be with you but it doesn't look like she cares," he said and Kuon looked at him.

"She cares enough to let me rest when I ask her for it," he said and Rick shrugged before sitting down.

"Well just get some rest then," he told Kuon, "because I care about you not being sleep deprived, not really healthy especially for an actor." Rick sat down in a chair and closed his eyes whilst Kuon settled down in the bed. He really did wish that Kyoko was still here.

…..

…..

Kyoko didn't want to betray Kuon's trust and she felt that it was wrong to leave him when she was scared that he would have just died but if her leaving would help the healing process then she would have no other choice. She sat on a bench outside of the hospital with tears streaming down her face. She shouldn't have left him alone. She should have argued with him and told him that he would never hurt or abuse her and he was his father's so-

"Hello," Kuu answered as he picked up the phone and Kyoko bit her lip. It was still quite early in America. "Kyoko? Are you there? Is there a reason for you calling me?" he asked in Japanese and Kyoko felt herself tense.

"Umm, I think it's all right. I didn't mean to wake you Father, I just wasn't thinking. I really am sorry," she apologized and Kuu yawned.

"It's okay, I'm up now," he told her and Kyoko looked at the hospital building, "What did you want to talk about?"

Kyoko nervously closed her eyes, "Kuon got into a car accident, he's paralyzed from the waist down. There was a lot of blood and I was too scared to call you before. He's awake now and I think that he's conscious, he seems to be talking a lot more than the doctors expected for him to be doing but…Rick…Kuon's Rick, he's alive."

"Rick's dead," Kuu said and Kyoko groaned.

"No, Father, he's not. Rick is not dead unless someone has dressed up as him with enough accuracy to trick Kuon. I don't know what he's doing here but obviously something is wrong. I shouldn't have left him alone with him," she said as her heart started to pound. No. There wasn't a chance that Rick would want to hurt Kuon, right? At least not physically.

"Kyoko, what is the situation right now? Where are you?" Kuu asked slowly and Kyoko felt guilty that she really wasn't giving him any answers.

"I'm outside the hospital and Kuon is in one of the hospital rooms with Rick," she told Kuu honestly. She was such an idiot. She should be at Kuon's side. "I'm going to go back in. I'm sorry for disturbing you," she whispered and Kuu spoke quickly so that she didn't hang up on him.

"Kyoko, if there is _ever_ anything happening to either one of you two, Julie and I want to know. We'll do what we can to be there as soon as we can. Julie might arrive before me but please keep me updated on how Kuon is doing. Tell him that I love him, okay?" he asked and Kyoko smiled feeling relieved that she wasn't alone.

"I will, Father," she said. She was about to hang up when the phone was pulled out of her hand and she turned back to see Rick standing there. Who was with Kuon now?

"You won't be needing this," Rick told her as he hung up with Kuu and then went to Kyoko's photo library. He selected the picture that was labelled with her and Kuon and deleted all the pictures of them as a couple whilst she scrambled to get her phone back. "He won't want you anymore, not now he has me back," he told her and Kyoko looked at the phone.

"Kuon," she whispered with tears in her eyes. Did she really have to be seen as the villain right now?

 **End of Chapter Two**

 **Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**

 **Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter One**

Kaname671, PaulaGaTo


	3. Chapter 3 - Disruption to a Stable Life

**Chapter Three – Disruption to a Stable Life**

Kyoko nervously went to the room where Kuon was and stayed at the doorway. He had done something stupid and been involved in a car accident because seeing people nearly getting hit by cars was something that made him feel unwell. Actually, it was something that would make anyone feel unwell.

Kyoko struggled and shifted in her position, she didn't want to admit it but she was terrified that Rick was standing right behind her. She was scared that somehow he would convince Kuon that she was unwell and that she was dirty. With tears in her eyes, Kyoko watched him. He was her prince. She was scared of anything that would cause him to tell her that he didn't love her any longer.

"He-Hey," Kuon said weakly as he looked at her and Kyoko smiled. She rushed forwards and took his hand in hers. "You don't think you made a bad decision, right?" he asked sadly and Kyoko paused. She shifted becoming a little pale from hearing that.

"I…don't…" Kyoko shook her head. She had made a lot of good and bad decisions in her life and she didn't want to be telling Kuon that it was a bad idea for her to not get back together with Sho or that it was a good idea to leave the room because Rick had told her to. She wanted for him to explain but he looked so painful and she didn't like when this sadness filled him.

"Sweetheart," she whispered as she pushed his hair back, "What are you talking about?" she asked as she kissed the blond hair and he looked at her pained.

"Choosing me," he told her and she froze. She put her hand to his cheek and slid his mouth up so that she could deliver a passionate kiss.

"That was the best decision of my life," Kyoko tried to reassure him before wrapping her arms around him. He smiled as she said that. "You didn't really want me to leave, did you?"

"I didn't want to wind up hurting you," Kuon said and Kyoko kissed him again.

"Can I see your phone?" she asked and Kuon nodded, gesturing to the bag of his possessions. Kyoko picked it up and entered the code which he had trusted her with. She went to his images to see the same photos that Rick had deleted from her own phone. She smiled happily as she sent the file to herself. "Thank you," she whispered as Kuon looked at her confused.

"Kuon, I know you're happy to have your friend back but please be careful," Kyoko warned him and Kuon sighed.

"Rick told me you'd feel threatened by him," he said and Kyoko tensed. That wasn't it. Didn't he know that that wasn't it.

Kyoko bowed her head, she wasn't expecting for him to find sense in all of this. She sighed and kissed him again. She hadn't wanted for him to be manipulated psychologically as it looked like Rick coming back from the dead was doing to him. She would usually kill anyone who hurt Kuon but this made it so that she didn't know what to do. Hurting Rick would hurt Kuon but she would only be hurting Rick for hurting Kuon. She sometimes wished that she hadn't married someone that the doctors were worried would go insane at the wrong moment.

Kyoko's eyes widened and she scolded herself for that. No. Rick wasn't going to change her opinion on Corn. She had been through too much to let someone force her to change her mind on something so important.

"Is there anything you need?" she asked as she took his hand in hers and Kuon turned to her and Kyoko wanted to slap him and knock the hope out of his eyes.

"Can you get Rick back in here?" he asked and Kyoko shivered. "You can leave afterwards if you want."

Kyoko's jaw dropped as her heart seemed to crumble. She couldn't quite believe what he had just asked of her. Trying to control the bitterness she felt, she went to him and put her hands on her hips looking at him sternly. "I will never want to leave your side," she announced and Kuon stared at her. "Please don't tell me to leave. I will only leave if that's what you want but it is _never_ what I want."

Kuon reached out to hold her hand before looking down, "I feel so guilty about this…" he whispered and Kyoko felt her breath catch in her throat, he wasn't going to actually ask her to leave, was he? "I choose you over him. Even if he's returned from the dead," Kyoko felt a sob come out of her that she couldn't stop. "I choose you."

"Okay," the actress whispered and heard a noise from behind her.

"What lie did you tell him to make him say that? You're a harpy feasting on the hearts of men," Rick told her and Kuon looked at him in shock. Kyoko didn't want to argue. She didn't want to be the one to make the energy bad in here, Kuon would see that as being her fault. He wouldn't blame his brother.

"Don't talk about Kyoko that way," Kuon said and Kyoko felt a sob of relief leave her chest. "You don't understand the happiness that I feel seeing you again but that's my wife. Treat her with respect."

Rick looked at them, his jaw dropping and Kyoko had a smug look of satisfaction on her face. He turned and walked away from them and Kyoko looked to Kuon who was staring sadly at the bed. She just hoped that she was enough for him.

…

…

 _You're a murderer. You should be dead instead of Rick. You cost Tina and Rick their happiness. You should be the one who has the blood sucked out of you._

 _Kuon shivered as he heard the voice in his head again. He hated thinking of the way his father had rushed down to the police station after what had happened, how his dad had held him in his arms and repeated that it wasn't his fault and he was glad that he was alive. He should be dead. Everyone would be happier if he was dead and maybe if he died then none of this would have happened._

 _He couldn't sleep. Every time the young fifteen-year-old slept he would wake up screaming and drenched in his sweat. He had seen a teen who had been like a brother to him die. He had heard the sound of the car as it hit his body and the sound of his body on the ground. Rick wouldn't have a chance to live. He wouldn't have a chance to get older and get married or even graduate. Rick would stay the way he had been forever and it was all his fault._

 _His father's gun. His dad had a collection of guns that were from old cowboy westerns and crime dramas. That was something his dad had always wanted to collect, movie memorabilia. His dad had always been dedicated to his career even more than his family and Kuon knew that some of these guns actually worked and he knew which ones those were._

 _Going into the closet, he picked up a box of bullets and tried to hide them under his armpit. He went into the room where the guns were stored and then pulled back as he saw his father sitting in that room fast asleep. Why wasn't he in the bed with his mother? Why was he here? Kuon could sneak around him right?_

 _Taking a step into the room made Kuu wake up and sit up alert._

" _What are you thinking?" Kuu asked, his eyes narrowing and Kuon looked down completely speechless, his body was pale and he knew that right now his father physically outmatched him. "Are you really thinking that I'm going to let my own son shoot himself?"_

 _Kuon looked down as he dropped the bullets which Kuu quickly grabbed._

 _How had his father been several steps ahead of him? Wasn't it better if he was dead?_

…

…

Lory looked at the man before him trying to control his temper. He had been told by Ruto that there was a man named Rick looking to see him and after he had been shown a picture of this Rick, he knew who it was and it pissed him off. This was a man who Kuon had felt responsible for the death of for years. This was a man who had almost ruined the kid's life if Lory hadn't stepped in and taken care of him. Maybe Kuon was just his godson per Kuu's request but he felt like an actual son.

"You faked your death," Lory stated as he smoked his cigarette, his eyes narrowing. "I guess it was for selfish reasons. I can't think of another reason that you would have hurt Kuon in the manner you did." He looked away and Rick laughed as he leaned forwards.

"You mean that murderer?" the black haired American asked, he raised an eyebrow, "You're satisfied having a _murderer_ as one of your actors?"

"I think that the fact that you are sitting in front of me right now clears Kuon from any supposed murders," Lory told him and Rick opened his mouth to protest. He sighed. Okay. He didn't have a case to make here but…he saw the way that Lory was looking at him with even more dislike.

"It's still a bad image," Rick shrugged and Lory put the cigarette out.

"What do you want?" he asked and Rick sighed, "I demand to know what your reason for seeing me is. You nearly destroyed the lives of people who are as close as family to me. One of my best friends lost contact with his son because of you. Don't expect to be forgiven just because you think it's Kuon that you hurt. If I hadn't have help-"

"I want you to fire Kuon," Rick told him honestly and Lory's eyes widened. "I want you to fire Kuon before he decides to quit by himself and you can't reason him out of it."

"Impossible," Lory said as he stood up and put the glass of alcohol down. He looked to Ruto. "You will leave this office immediately before I have security drag you out shamefully. You will leave this agency and you will never come back."

"You'll see Kuon wants to quit," Rick laughed bitterly, "Can't even use his own legs. Are you telling me that you'd risk your agency to protect him?"

"I'd risk more than that," Lory told him. "I consider Kuon part of my family and I won't let _anyone_ threaten or attempt to hurt my family. You'll be out of my sight physically but you've just put yourself on a list that you will never get off of," he said raising his voice and drawing in his anger. He took another breath in as he saw Ruto pulling Rick out. He sighed and picked up his alcohol before chugging it back.

He picked up the phone and called the person best suited to help him in this task. There was another person he would be calling, a connection that people didn't know he had. He had a _lot_ of connections that people didn't know he had.

He heard the phone pick up and sighed, "Hello, Kyoko speaking."

"Kyoko-chan," Lory sighed, "We need to meet. If you don't already know -" he began but Kyoko cut him off.

"If this is about Rick then I need your help with that, if that's not asking too much," Kyoko said and Lory chuckled bitterly and Kyoko felt her back straighten due to that dark laugh.

"That man is not going to ruin Kuon's life. I refuse to let it happen," Lory announced, something that Kyoko felt a lot of comfort hearing.

 **End of Chapter Three**

 **Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**

 **Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter Two**

H-Nala, Kaname671


	4. Chapter 4 - Threatened by the Father

**Chapter Four – Threatened by the Father**

Kyoko was feeling excited that she was able to take Kuon home today, she had been lonely every time she had gone back to the apartment for new clothes or to grab something for Kuon she had felt that loneliness and that fear that Rick was watching her. She bowed her head, she needed to try to figure out a way to help Kuon. He didn't seem to want to listen to her that his friend was bad news, he was just so happy that he was alive.

"Thank you," Kyoko smiled to the doctor as they helped Kuon sit in the wheelchair. Kyoko put a hand to Kuon's cheek as she knelt in front of him. "The doctors have said that with enough physical therapy -"

"That I'll most likely regain the functions of my legs," Kuon replied and Kyoko nodded. He looked to her and then turned to look around the room. "Rick didn't come," he said and Kyoko had to hide the annoyance that that sentence brought to her mind. She shook her head.

"No, sweetheart," she whispered, "but I'm here."

"And I'm very glad that you're here," Kuon said as he reached a hand up and tucked her hair behind her ear, Kyoko blushed a little. She wanted to enjoy this moment before it was interrupted by Rick and he tried once again to hurt Kuon. If Kuon had realized that their happy memories as a couple hadn't been on her phone then that would have hurt him. Luckily she had managed to get all those happy memories on an external hard drive.

"I'm very glad that it's just the two of us," Kyoko whispered and Kuon sighed.

"You'll learn to like him, you might even like him better than me in the end," Kuon argued and Kyoko stared at him wondering what possessed him to even say that. Of course he couldn't compete with Kuon. Maybe Kuon had anger issues that he had to deal with that were rooted in his depression – a depression that Rick had been the cause of – but he had a good heart and would never want to hurt someone he cared for. She hated that Kuon was being manipulated.

"Impossible," Kyoko tried to remind him. "Impossible that I'll love him more than you. I can't love anyone more than you," she laughed and he chuckled at that. She wanted to take his mind off of Rick and was glad that they weren't alone. She didn't even feel the nerves until she heard a person approach the door. Doctors didn't approach the door like that. It felt like he was watching her and unable to leave.

She tried to not glare and upset Kuon but she turned to the doorway expecting to see the man she hated more than Shotaro. Her face though turned to one of surprise and delight as she saw who actually was there. "Father," she grinned as she rushed over to hug him and Kuon managed to get the chair to turn.

"Dad?" he asked happily and Kuu beamed at his children, returning Kyoko's hug with a warm embrace. He nodded to Kuon as Kuon rolled himself over to him. "I didn't know that you were -"

"Of course I'd come, just needed to wrap up a few work things," Kuu said before sighing in relief. He managed to sit down in a chair and push his hand through his hair. "Hearing about the accident…I had to be here. I'm glad that you're okay. I'm glad you're alive, Kuon."

"Maybe being hit by a car isn't the end of the world," Kuon shrugged and Kyoko shot a pained look at Kuu. They both knew that he was referring to Rick and proving that he was happy that he was alive. However, Rick had lied to him and failed to contact him for years. That made Kyoko's heart hurt. It seemed a one-sided friendship where Rick didn't return the trust and loyalty and friendship that Kuon was giving to him.

"I am just very thankful that you are alive," Kuu repeated and Kyoko nodded in agreement. "Kuon," he sighed as he leaned forwards with a complicated facial expression. "Can I ask you something? I don't want you to get pissed at me, that's not my intention but…"

"You can ask me anything, Dad" Kuon nodded. "I know that you would never intentionally hurt me."

Kuu sighed, he hoped that asking this wouldn't insult his little boy. "If you had been in Rick's situation. If you had lived through the accident which he did, you would have tried to make contact with me, right?" he asked and Kuon looked to him in shock. He felt a little anxious but Kyoko placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "There is no wrong answ-"

"Yes, if I could," Kuon nodded and Kuu smiled softly, that was enough information for him. "I mean, I know how much it would have affected you and Mom but if for some reason I couldn't, I would still try to give you a feeling that I could possibly be alive." Kuu sighed in relief. "You know that I love you, right?"

"I know," Kuu said, "I just always feel that I could have helped you more. I didn't want to give up on you. I wish I could have helped you when you were going through all that as a teenager. I wasn't ready to be a father."

"You have always been a great father," Kuon tried to convince him and Kuu looked at him guiltily, "I've never thought that you were a bad father. You have always bee my hero."

Kuu nodded, he didn't want to ruin the moment by mentioning how _unheroic_ he felt about what had happened when Kuon was younger. This was about Kuon getting better and if he had ruined Kuon's standards for what made a good father, then he would have to try to make it up to him. That meant getting them back home and maybe going shopping for some food. He loved both his children but he couldn't disagree with Kuon more. He truly felt like a terrible dad.

…..

…..

It was going to be good to actually do something for his son or at least those were Kuu's thoughts as he went through the grocery store trying to find the ingredients for the meal he planned to cook. He knew that Kuon didn't eat a lot and felt guilty for allowing Julie to put him through that trauma but he could still make an udon dish and hope that Kuon would eat a little of it.

As he managed to select the noodles, he heard someone cough to the side of him and looked over to the shadows. He had heard people gossiping about him as usual and some nervous women wondering whether or not he would pose for a selfie with them or give them his autograph. As he stepped into the shadows though, he realized it wasn't the case and he put the basket to the side, anger fueling him.

"Hey, Kuu," Rick said and raised an eyebrow, "You out here alone?"

"Why? Thinking of taking down a senior actor?" Kuu scoffed as he stared at him. He was tempted to push him against the wall and threaten him but there was a chance of people seeing that and it might not only hurt his career but Kuon's as well and maybe even Kyoko's. He glared at him though, giving a complete expression of disgust. "You didn't even make contact. You let him believe that you were dead," he whispered and Rick shrugged. Kuu found himself growing angrier because of that lack of care.

"It's not exactly like I could jump on a plane to Japan and I don't know any Japanese phone numbers," Rick said and Kuon laughed, shaking his head.

"You could have found some way to tell me if you truly cared about Kuon. Now, I know that I also let Kuon down but I would find some way to tell him that you have to leave and then stay away from my son," Kuu tried saying and Rick laughed at this.

"You actually think that I won't come after you and make you leave him. Who wants a father like you? I mean, thinking about it, Kuon deserves a trashy piece of crap father like you," he told him and Kuu laughed bitterly at that. "I could kick your ass," he warned and Kuu looked at him as if he had just been told that same line by a five year old kid.

"Don't assume that since I want to live a peaceful life that I'm unable to protect my family," he told him slowly, "I take it that you either haven't seen my earlier work or you don't remember them. Sure, Julie helped me gain more peace of mind and more stability but I worked with the same martial arts teacher that Kuon did. My son was more able than me before his accident but do you really think that I'm weak enough to not defeat you."

Rick looked at him with a chuckle, rolling his eyes and doubting Kuu's words. As he laughed though, Kuu glared at him sharply, the glare would rival Kuon's and so seemed out of character for a man who had been so supportive of others.

"You hurt my son in any way," Kuu threatened him, "and I'll make you wish that you were dead."

Rick laughed, "How are you going to do that?" he asked and Kuu got closer so their foreheads were nearly touching.

"I'll ruin you," he said and then pulled back. He heard Rick's awkward and mocking laugh but he didn't care. He just turned his back and walked away continuing to do his shopping. Maybe Rick didn't believe that Kuon was too much like him but Kuu was confident in his own skills.

Rick watched after him, somewhat amused that the older man had tried to threaten him. He could take him down. He had heard that Shuuhei Hozu was skilled in Japan but that was many many years ago. There was no chance of him keeping any of those skills.

"So," Reino said as he suddenly appeared from the side, he looked to Rick with judgment in his eyes but they might be able to help one another if they had a common goal in mind. "Did I just hear what I thought I did?" he asked and Rick turned to him.

"So, you another friend of Kuon's?" he asked and Reino shivered.

"I believe, like you, I wish for his destruction," Reino commented and Rick grinned. He hadn't heard that from anyone else, Kuon had a lot of supporters in this country but there hadn't seemed to be another one wanting to cause him the pain and distress that he rightly deserved. Rick looked to him.

"Do you actually have anything that we can use against him?" he asked, "because otherwise, I am a solo worker. I know the inner depths of his mind, I can turn his friends and family against him and have him trust only me."

"Of course I have skills," Reino told him, "As long as you leave me with Kyoko, it should be fine"

Rick chuckled, "By this time next month, Kyoko will have fallen in love with you and we'll be forcing Kuon to watch a sex tape of the two of you together whilst he's trying to convince her not to divorce him and feeling responsible for the whole thing."

This idea could possibly come true or at least in the minds of the two men it could.

 **End of Chapter Four**

 **Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**

 **Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter Three**

H-Nala, Kaname671


	5. Chapter 5 - Strike Back

**Chapter Five – Strike Back**

Kyoko sighed as she looked at Kuon in the wheelchair. He would have to use it for a while and she expected that he would really hate it. Kuon didn't do well with restrictions and limitations and his body had always been well trained. Now, he had difficulty with it. She wanted to make him feel better however she could.

"I don't trust him not to hurt him," Kuu said as he rested his back on the wall and Kyoko nodded along to that. She didn't trust him either. It was nice that Kuon hadn't killed someone, the guilt he had been carrying around for years wasn't what he thought it was, he could live an easier life. Or, he could live that easier life were Rick not attempting to brainwash him.

Kyoko bowed her head. If it wasn't that the doctor had asked for some time alone with Kuon, she would be by his side, taking down notes on the treatment plan which the doctor was suggesting. She hated that she wasn't. She loved him and that was a love that she hadn't thought at all possible for her. "I want to protect him," Kyoko stated, "but I don't think that I'm the person he'll listen to. It's as if he's been brainwashed."

Kuu nodded sadly. When the doctor gestured that they could come in, Kuu walked behind Kyoko, allowing his daughter in law to get there first. Kyoko knelt in front of Kuon so that she wasn't looking down at him. She took his hand kissed the back of it.

"Corn, you get to come home today, right?" she asked as she turned her attention to the doctor who confirmed that information. Over the past days, she and Kuu had done everything they could think of to make the house more comfortable for Kuon's disabilities. Both of them truly cared about him. It was a care that Rick lacked despite how much Kuon wanted it to be differently.

"I've brought the car," Kuu told him, it was a rental but it had enough room for the wheelchair in the back. It would do until Kyoko could get a car that they could use permanently. "As soon as you're ready, I'll drive the two of you back home. I'll also prepare dinner, I know that you might not want to eat much but I'd like to do it."

"Dad…" Kuon said hesitantly before bowing his head and chuckling. "You really want to do that for me? You don't have to. I mean, I know that it might be asking a lot but Kyoko really enjoys cooking too."

"Of course I want to do it for you," Kuu said with an encouraging smile. He reached out to put his hand on Kuon's shoulder whilst Kyoko was holding his hands. Kuu just wanted his son to realize how loved he was and how important he was to their family. Despite Rick obviously taking advantage of him, Kuon had people around him who loved him deeply.

There was a sharp cough at the doorway and both Kuu and Kyoko turned. Their eyes narrowed in anger but as they turned to Kuon with neutral expressions they found him smiling and beaming with hope. It was hard for both of them to be witness to that.

"I thought that since you were getting out of the hospital," Rick said as Kyoko raised her chin wanting to argue with him but holding back as she knew that Kuon would jump into Rick's defense. Kuu had his fist tightening but he held it to his side and out of sight, "I could take you to dinner. I mean, it's been a long time since we -"

"I think a nice quiet meal at home might be best for Kuon's condition," Kyoko broke first and Rick laughed at her. Kyoko felt her heart squeeze but she wasn't just going to let him take advantage of Kuon and the way he had been broken inside since he was a teenager. Despite not having known him during those teenage years, Kyoko would love any part of Kuon, even the parts that concerned her.

"So, you want to dictate to Kuon what he is to do," Rick bit back and Kyoko shook her head. She wasn't dictating anything, she was attempting to protect her most important person. This wasn't an attack on a good-for-nothing former friend. "You want to keep him tied down. You don't trust that he won't get hurt."

Kyoko hesitated, she did feel that he would get hurt but it wasn't that she didn't trust Kuon or even the abilities he had. He had been hurt so much that he needed to go through physical therapy but that didn't have anything to do with whether she trusted him or not.

"Can you honestly deny that you aren't concerned that he'll get hurt if he goes out to a restaurant with me? Do you have that little faith that he can't survive something that simple," Rick told her and Kyoko looked at him, the hate filling her heart. She didn't want to lie to her husband but the way in which Rick had phrased those things left her little room to answer.

"You know he'll get hurt," she said with a frustrated growl. She hated him. He was far worse than Shotaro. "Of course I don't trust that he'll be safe."

"I'm not a baby," Kuon said as he looked away from her. He didn't want to be angry with her but he wasn't some pet who she had to keep close to her. He wasn't just some little kid. Even if he had difficulty with moving his body, he wasn't a little kid. Kyoko turned to him and nodded slowly. She knew that. "You can't even let me go out for one night, can you?"

"Kuon," Kuu said as he saw how Kyoko remained speechless in that. If they said anything about how Rick was using him then Kuon would deny it. It was almost as if he was completely brainwashed by this guy, as if he were under a curse. They needed to make him understand the truth. "I thought that a family dinner would be good. We can all sit down together, think about what we're going to do in the future."

"As if you ever considered Kuon's future," Rick accused him. "I've heard about what you did. You didn't give a damn about his future or his career. He was just the son who disappointed you and who you couldn't look at anymore and love. You sent him away to get rid of him."

"I sent him away because of the grief and depression he was facing and how I felt powerless to help him. Acting means everything to Kuon. I wanted to make those sad memories get replaced with happy memories of his success as an actor. It hurt every day that he was gone. It wasn't only my wife who cried and went into a depression. I love my son. I only wanted what was best for him…unlike you," Kuu said and Kuon laughed bitterly.

"Rick's right," he said and Kuu turned to him slowly. What was happening at this point? "You never gave a damn about me, you didn't even say goodbye properly to me when I left. You just cared about your own life and how I would have shamed you."

Kuu's expression turned to one of shock and alarm. He knew that Kuon had struggled with those feelings of his parents perhaps not loving him anymore but he believed that when he had come to Japan during the filming of Dark Moon, they had reached an understanding. Were things going back to those dark times when he couldn't even establish contact with his son?

"I…I was heartbroken when I caught Boss taking you away. You don't understand. He had scheduled the day he was coming but he never told us what time of the day. He told us to go about our lives as usual. It was only my fortune to see you one last time before you left but I _wanted_ to tell you so much that would remind you that we always have loved you with every part of our being and that we were with you and supporting you and cheering you on. I wish I had been able to say goodbye properly, I truly do."

Kuu looked at Kuon desperately. What was going on here? Facts which they had discussed seemed to be disappearing from Kuon's mind. Maybe he had had moments of accidentally being a neglectful father but he had never done that purposefully. He had wanted to work on his career and he has ignored his son until it was too late. He had made dozens, maybe even hundreds, of mistakes but he never went out to hurt or abuse his son. It hurt him so much upon the realization that he could have made Kuon happier.

"A real father would have made sure that their son could stay at home and get help. A real father wouldn't be contacting other people to get them to take on the burden of their own child. A real father would have made contact during the time when they couldn't physically seen their child if only in disguise. You never gave a damn about Kuon. Even now, all that you're doing is satis-" Rick said as Kuon seemed to look down, giving thought to these obvious lies. Kuu was getting angrier and was close to snapping and breaking but if he acted out of anger then that might make Rick's words have more credibility in Kuon's mind.

Kyoko tried to fire out her demons. Nobody needed to insult Kuu like that. Sure, he had made choices and decisions which he had regretted but one thing that she had learned early on about the half-American, half-Japanese actor was his undying love and devotion for his son.

"Get the _hell_ out," Kyoko whispered making sure that although Rick could hear her voice, Kuon couldn't make out what she said.

"Gladly…with Kuon," Rick said as both Kuu and Kyoko stared at him with the same looks of fury. They were both doing their best to control themselves in front of Kuon but both of them wanted to annialate this man. "Don't you want a ride home?" Rick asked.

"With you?" Kuon asked before nodding and Kuu took a step forward.

" _I'm_ taking him home. _I'm_ his father. Of course I care about my kid. I would give up acting before I would give up on Kuon. He needs to be around people who love him and are only interested in the things which help him." Kuu's voice was raised so that even people down the hallway would be able to hear it but he didn't care. Kuon was his precious son.

"Why do you think that includes you?" Rick asked with a raise of his eyebrow and Kuu finally heard Kuon say something.

"Does it?" he asked and Kuu stared at him speechless. How could he even be doubting that?

 **End of Chapter Five**

 **Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**

Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter Four

H-Nala, Kaname671, PaulaGaTo


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